Hinge



'Nov. 11, 1931. G. w. ALDEEN HINGE Filed Jan.

L'LUGTLIMJOT'F Gedor LU fi/Zldemv Patented Nov. 17,1931

UNITED STATES PATENTTOFFICE GEDOR W. ALDEEN, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR CEO AMERICAN CABINET HARD- WARE CORP., OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS HINGE Application filed January 29, 1930. Serial No. 424,163.

The invention relates. generally to hinges and particularly to those especially adapted for use in connection with certain articles of furniture such as drop-leaf tables. The invention has as its general aim the provision of a new and improved hinge which is simple in construction and may be manufactured at a low cost.

It is an object of the invention to providea new and improved two-part hinge in which the parts are easily separated and reassembled to permit the component furniture parts, which are joined by the hinge, to be disassembled by the manufacturer for shipment and to be easily reassembled by the dealer without disturbing the predetermined position of the hinge members.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a hinge in which the pivotal axis lies substantially in the plane of the hinge when the members are flat and which may be attached directly to the surfaces of the furniture parts without recessing or mortising said parts. This object aims to reduce the cost of attaching the hinge to the furniture parts while, at the same time, providing a construction which so positions the hinge axis .that the furniture parts connected thereby are held closely adjacent to substantially eliminate the crack appearingtherebetween when the parts move' relatively. V I

Another object of the invention resides'in the creation of a hinge of this character in which the'parts thereof are capable of being manufactured by a single die-stamping operation from ordinary sheet metal stock thereby materially lessening the cost of manufacture. Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following description and from the accompanying drawings,iu which:

Figure 1 is a plan view on a reduced scale of a pair of hinges embodying the invention as said hinges are seen in use.

2 is a plan view of a hinge showing the parts thereof in disassembled relation.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of one of the hinge members.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation as seen looking downwardly of the top hinge shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 but showing the parts 1n another position thereof.

Fig. 6 1s a longitudinal section taken substantially on the lines 66 of Fig. 1, the parts,

however, being in a relative position intermediate the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 5. While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific formdisclosed, but intend to cover all modifications andalternative con structions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In describing the preferred form of hinge illustrated herein, reference will occasionally .1

be had to the parts of furniture which are secured together by the hinge. These parts, as shown herein, represent the top 10 and one leaf 11 of a drop-leaf table of well known construction. It should be understood, however, that the use of the invention is not to be limited thereby since the hinge is suitable for many other uses.

Broadly, the hinge may be said to comprise two complementary hinge members, one of position of the socket and upstanding part is producedby a relative lateral movement of the parts and means are provided for preventing separation thereof after assembly in any direction. Such means, however, is adapted to permit relative rotational move ment of the hinge members about the free end of the socket asa pivotal point or fulcrum. The structure also embodies means for limiting the reiative rotational movement of the members in one direction or the other.

Referringto the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 2, 12 indicates generally a pintle carrying hinge member and 13 designates a socket presenting hinge member. The hinge member 12 in the form of a substantially flat plate having a plurality of apertures 14 therein to receive screws 15 by which the hinge member is secured to one of the furniture parts, in this instance the top 10. One end of the plate is bent at an angle thereto to provide an outstanding portion or flange 16 which, in the present instance, is substantially at right angles to the plane of the plate. Suitable reinforcing means, such as the boss 16*, may be provided on the flange 16. The flange 16 has a transverse elongated slot 17 extending from one side thereof to divide a part of the flange into two parallel spaced portions 17, 18. The inner portion 17 which is the portion next adjacent the hinge plate, comprises what may be termed the pintle of the hinge, and the other or outer portion 18 constitutes an overlying finger.

The complementary hinge member 13 is also in the form of a plate adapted to be similarly secured to the other one of the furniture parts, such as the drop leaf 11. At one end the plate is recessed, as at 19,. and the remaining extending portion of the plate is bent outwardly and thence rearwardly to provide a substantially U-shaped open-sided socket 20.

In mounting the hinge members 12 and 13 upon the parts to be connected thereby, the hinge member 12 is disposed adjacent the meeting edge of the part (see 2 and 3) so that the member extends beyond the edge approximately the thickness of the pintle 17 The hinge member 13 is likewise secured adj acentthe meeting edge of the opposite part so that the socket extends beyond the edge approximately the thickness of the outer side of the socket. This overhanging side of the socket is preferably flattened as at 21 and the depth of the socket is slightly greater than the width of the pintle 17 so that when the meeting edges of the top 10 and leaf 11 are positioned in abutment, relative lateral movement thereof slides the socket 20 into the slot 17 to overlie and embrace the pintle. In this position the flat side 21 of the socket abuts the adjacent side of the pintle to limit relative movement of the hinge members in one direction, and the overlying finger 18 slidingly abuts the outer surface of the socket member 20 to prevent outward movement of the socket from the pintle.

- Preferably, the portion ofthe socket inter mediate the flat side 21 and the portion of the hinge member 1.3 is arcuate in cross section, said surface being so formed that in the relative swinging movements of the two hinge members, the end of the flange will slidingly engage said arcuate surface. The effect of this arrangement may be seen in Figs. 1, 6 and 5. Thus, in the swinging movement of one hinge member relative to the other, the arcuate portion of the socket member moves between the upstanding flange and the overlying finger and the pivotalpoint of said movement is confined to the free edge ing movement of the parts.

of the flat side 21 of the socket. Preferably the hinge member 12 is recessed as at 22 to receive the fiat side 21 of the socket as said members move into the position shown in Fig. 5.

Means are provided for limiting the relative movement of the hinge members when said members move from the flat position, shown in Fig. 4, to the angular relation of Fig. .5. which means, in addition to its defining a'limit. of movement of said hinge members, serves to prevent the pintle 17 from being bent or damaged in the'swiugzi- To this end, the overlying finger 18 offset from the pi i of the pintlc in the direction of the pl: a distance equal substantially to the thic ness of the material of which the member is formed. 2 Consequently, when the hinge members are moved into an angular position, the overlying finger engages the surface of the hinge member 13 ad acent the recess 19 there- 111. During this movement, the pintle moves into the recess 19 to engage the surface of the part to which the hinge member 13 is attached. Hence, if the part is formed of wood or a similar materia the limiting abutment of the finger 18 with the surface of the hinge member 13 prevents unusual strain from being placed near the edge of the part by the pin'tle, which would tend to crack, split or break-mv y such engaged part. 7

A second stop means is provided between the socket 20 and the hinge member 12 which serves in the same manner to prevent injury to the edge of the part to which the member 12 is secured. The inner edge of the flat face 21 of the socket 20 is cut away to provide a shoulder 23 which, during the movement of the flat side 21 into the rec 22 engages the outer surface of the hinge member to prevent furt ier movement of the parts.

Means are provided for holding thev hinge members 12 and 13 in their assembled pos tion after the socket has been moved later-- ally into engagement with the pintle. its preferred form, this means compris abutment which engages the side of the o i in any of its swinging positions relative to the pintle and is capable of being moved to an out-of-the va r position to permit the hinge members to be disengaged if desire Referring to Fig. 2, an elongated bar one end thereof bent to present an arcuately shaped boss 25, and has an elongated slot 26 extending longitudinally of the other end. A screw 2'? extends through the slot to secure the bar to the top of the r le. The end of the slot remote from the boss is countersunk. as 28, to receive the head of the screw 27. Preferably, thostop is to the top immediately adjacent the side of the hinge member 12 opposite the upstanding flange and is so arranged that when the screw head engages the countersunk part of the slot, the arcuate boss is in laterally abutting engagement with the outer side of the socket 20. Consequently, relative lateral movement of the parts is positively prevented unless it is desired to disengage the parts, when it is only necessary to loosen the screw 27 and slide the bar to an out-ofthc-way position.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that a hinge has been provided which facilitates assembly and disassembly of the parts connected thereby. As an example of the conveniences resulting from this feature, it is common practice for manufacturers of drop-leaf tables to remove the leaves from the tables in packing the tables for shipment to the dealers. Inasmuch as the dealers must reassemble the tables, the ordinary type of hinge makes it necessary for the dealer to employ skilled labor in order that the table may be correctly assembled. This difliculty is overcome by the present hinge, since the manufacturer may completely assemble the table and in so doing mount the hinge members permanently on the top and leaves. For packing, a simple lateral movement of the leaf relative to the table top disengages the hinge members, and when the dealer reassembles the table, a reverse lateral movement completes the operation. Consequently, the dealer need only secure the stop arcuate bosses 25 in position to prevent relative lateral movement of the hinge members and the table is assembled ready for use. A further advantage of the hinge resides in the simple construction thereof which permits each part of the hinge to be formed from ordinary sheet metal stock by a single diestamping operation. Consequently, the hinge may be very cheaply produced. It will also be noted that in a hinge of this character, the pivotal axis about which-the hinge members turn is positioned approximately in the plane of one of the surfaces to which the hinge members are attached. In consequence, it is not necessary to recess or mortise the surfaces to receive the hinge members in order to prevent a noticeable crack from appearing therebetween during the relative swinging movement of the parts. i

I claim as my invention:

1. A hinge comprising, in combination, a hinge member having at one end thereof an open-sided U-shaped socket, and a second hinge member having an upstanding portion thereon, said portion being provided with an elongated slot extending transversely from one side thereof to permit said socket to slide endwise into embracing engagement with the part of said portion adjacent the hinge mem her.

2. A hinge comprising, in combination, a

hinge member having at one end thereof an open-sided U-shaped socket, and a second hinge member having an upstanding portion thereon, said portion being provided with an elongated slot extendingtransversely from one side thereof to permit said socket to slide endwise into engagement therewith said means detachably engaging said first mentioned hinge member to prevent movement thereof along the axis of the pintle after said socket is engaged with said upstanding portion. V

3. A hinge comprising, in combination. a hinge member in the form of a plate having one end thereof projecting angularly with respect to the rest of the plate, said end havinga transverse slot extending from one side thereof, and a second hinge member bent at one end to form an open-sided U-shaped socket adapted upon relative lateral movement of said members to enter said slot and embrace the portion of said end adjacent said plate as a pintle.

4.. A hinge comprising, in combination, a hinge member having a substantially U- shaped open-sided socket thereon, a second hinge member having an outstanding flange thereon over which said socket is adapted to fit, and means engaging the outer surface of said socket to hold said socket in position relative to said flange during the movement of said hinge members. i V

5. A hinge comprising, in combination, a hinge member having a substantially U- shaped open-sided socket thereon,'a second hinge member having an outstanding flange thereon over wh ch said socket is adapted to lit, and means engaging said socket for holding said socket in such position during the relative movement of said hinge members, said socket having a limiting engagement with said flange in one position of said hinge members.

6. A hinge comprising, in combination, a hinge member having a substantially U- shaped open-sided socket thereon, a second hinge member having an outstanding flange thereon over which said socket is adapted to fit, and means engaging said socket for bold ing said socket in such position during the.

shaped open-sided socket thereon, a second a. ge member having an outstanding flange th eon over which said socket is adapted to fit. means engaging .aid socket for holding said socket in such position, during the relative movement of said hinge members, said socket having a flat face abutting said flange in one position of said hinge members to limit the relative movement thereof in one direclea tion, and means on said flange providing an abutment with the opposite hinge member to limit relative movement of said members in the opposite direction.

8. A, hinge comprising, in'combination, a hinge member having an outstanding flange thereon, a second hinge member having an open-sided socket thereon adapted to fit about said flange, and means holding said socket member for rocking movement about said flange, said means being adapted to limit said movement in one direction.

9. A hinge comprising, in combination, a socket member having a substantially U- shaped open-sided socket at one end thereof, a complementary hinge member having means thereon over which said socket is adapted to fit, and means for holding said socket during rotational movement of said socket relative to said member with the free end of said socket engaging said member as a pivot.

10. A hinge comprising, in combination, a plate having an upstanding part thereon, a second plate having a U-shapcd socket formed at one end thereof, said socket being fashioned to fit over said part and having the ment of outer side thereof flattened to abut the side of said part, and a finger carried by said firstmentioned plate in spaced relation to said part to overlie said socket, said finger being offset from the plane of said part to permit abutment thereof with the surface of said second plate in one position of relative moveid plate.

11. A hinge comprising, in combination, a plate having an upstanding part thereon, a second plate having a U-shaped socket formed at one end thereof, said socket being fashioned to fit over said part and having the outer side thereof flattened to abut the side of said part, and a finger carried by said first-mentioned plate in spaced relation to said upstanding part to overlie said socket and hold saio socket for movement relative to said part about the free end of said socket as a fulcrum.

12. A hinge comprising, in combination, a plate having an upstanding part thereon, a second plate having a U-shaped socket thereon, said socket being fashioned to fit over said part, and a finger carried by said first-mentioned plate in spaced relation to said upstanding part to overlie and engage the outer surface of said socket.

13. A hinge comprising, in combination, a hinge member having a socket thereon formed with an open face and an open end, a second hinge member having a pintle thereon slidable endwise into the open end of said socket. and means on one of said hinge members for preventing relative separation of said pintle and socket.

14. A hinge compris ng, in combination, a plate having an outstanding part thereon constituting a pintle, a second plate having an open face socket thereon fashioned to fit over said outstanding part, and means adapted to engage said socket to prevent relav.

said hinge members adapted to engage the part to which the opposite hinge member isv secured to limit relative movement of said parts in one direction.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto afiixed my signature.

onnon w. ALDE NQ CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,831,988. Granted November 17, 1931, to

GEDOR W. ALDEEN.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 71, claim 2, for the word "said" read and; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 22nd day of December, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

